


Lighten Up

by celeste9



Series: February Challenge Fics [12]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Banter, Competition, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 14:10:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13660614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celeste9/pseuds/celeste9
Summary: Gwen would say, 'most things aren’t fair, Leon,' with that smile, but honestly, it wasn’t fair. Leon stared again at the scores on the screen and somehow, inexplicably, Gwaine’s still remained higher than Leon’s. Gwaine, with his atrocious form, hurling the brightest green ball he could find haphazardly down the lane, picking up strike after strike.





	Lighten Up

**Author's Note:**

> Day 12: bowling alley AU

It wasn’t fair.

Gwen would say, _most things aren’t fair, Leon,_ with that smile, but honestly, it wasn’t fair. Leon stared again at the scores on the screen and somehow, inexplicably, Gwaine’s still remained higher than Leon’s. Gwaine, with his atrocious form, hurling the brightest green ball he could find haphazardly down the lane, picking up strike after strike.

Gwaine, grinning hugely, plopped down beside Leon and slung his arm behind Leon’s shoulders. “Good thing I’m on your team, huh?”

Leon shrugged away. “Beginner’s luck.”

“You know what they say about sore losers.”

“What?”

Gwaine shrugged and stretched his legs out. “I don’t know, but it’s nothing good.”

Sighing, Leon ignored Gwen’s wide grin as she looked back at him, taking her turn to throw, and stood up. “I’m getting a beer.”

“I’ll join you.” Gwaine sprang up. “I didn’t know you were so into bowling.”

“I’m not.” He was only supporting Gwen, that was all, after she’d got a job here to help pay for school.

“You’ve got your own shoes.”

Leon shuddered. As if he would wear rented shoes. “I’d prefer not to catch a fungus.”

Gwaine laughed. “Of course. But you’re all…” He did an incredibly poor demonstration of Leon’s throwing technique.

“It isn’t difficult to do things properly,” Leon said, and paid for his beer at the counter.

“Oh, right, properly,” Gwaine said with exaggerated emphasis. He bought his own beer and grinned at Leon over the top of it as he took a large swallow. “It’s all about doing things properly.”

“Better than whatever you call your attitude to life.”

“Pretty sure I just call it living. Anyway, remember who’s got more points.”

“For the moment.”

Gwaine’s face was insufferable. It truly was. “You really can’t stand that I’m better than you at this, can you? It’s bowling.”

“You have luck and no skill.”

“Tragic,” Gwaine said, closing the gap between them. “Maybe you should just lighten up a little.”

“I’m fine the way I am,” Leon said, sipping his beer so he would have a reason not to look at Gwaine’s stupid face and his stupid fluffy hair.

“I’ll say,” Gwaine agreed, licking his lip, and Leon rolled his eyes.

“Honestly, you--” He lost his train of thought, not to mention the words, as Gwaine leaned up and pressed his mouth to Leon’s. Leon was too startled to do anything but respond, that was his story, that was obviously the only reason he was kissing Gwaine back. It had absolutely nothing to do with how soft Gwaine’s lips were, or how nice his hip felt beneath Leon’s hand, or how inexplicably good he smelled in spite of his cheap cologne.

When Gwaine pulled back, Leon blinked down at him. “What was that for?”

“Oh, just helping you lighten up.” Gwaine tipped his beer to his lips again and Leon certainly wasn’t staring at the muscles working in his throat.

“Leon, hurry up, or Arthur’s going to bowl for you!” Gwen called.

Leon looked at Gwaine, and then towards Gwen, blinking, and then back at Gwaine again.

Gwaine was giving him a rather wicked smile. “Go on, then, Leon, don’t want to miss your turn. You might fall even farther behind me.” He gave Leon a shove and then smacked him on the arse.

Leon’s cheeks flushed and he tossed a glare back over his shoulder, but Gwaine was laughing and Leon had a horrible, horrible urge to smile back at him.

This was obviously unacceptable so Leon squared his shoulders and went to go bowl a strike.

He was damn well going to beat Gwaine if it was the last thing he did.


End file.
